Civil Services Examinations Dr. N. Sundaradevan

1. Civil Services Examinations Dr. N. Sundaradevan

2. Why Civil Servics Examination (IAS etc. Examinations) • Prestige & recognition • Job security • job satisfaction • attractive and challenging career to the ambitious, the aspiring and the talented • enormous exposure • confidence and personality development • Power • Contacts • Excellent Perks • opportunity of foreign tour • Post Retirement jobs

3. Myths associated with CSE • Myth: UPSC Exams – Toughest and Mother of all Exams • Every year 8-9 lakh candidates apply for the exam and only a thousand odd qualify. But, out of these 9 lakh candidates, only half take the exam.   • To crack this exam all a candidate needs is hardwork, diligence, passion and a right preparation plan

4. Myth: Only highly intelligent students with an excellent academic record are successful at the CSE. • A survey conducted a few years back indicated that most of the successful aspirants had secured only a second division in graduation. Your marks from school or college will not count what counts is your dedication and preparation and the final score you fetch in the Civil Services Exam. • Myth: Non-English medium candidates are at a disadvantage compared to English medium candidates • The language you choose is not a handicap, rather, lack of confidence and non-availability of study materials is. Every year numerous students from non-English background are clearing the civil services exam. You too can.

5. Myth: IAS aspirants should know everything under the Sun • Undeniably, UPSC Syllabus is vast and defined except the current affairs part of the syllabus. An IAS aspirant need not know everything under the sun, but all a candidate need is conceptual clarity of topics and subjects along with the general awareness and analytical skills. • Myth: IAS require a lot of luck and chance to get through. Luck won’t shine on me • Luck and chance play a role in varying degrees in any endeavour of our life. But that does not mean luck and chance are the only thing that matter. You should work hard.

6. Myth: There is too much political interference in the IAS and the IPS. • Any position in which a lot of authority is vested is bound to have controls too. The more important the position the greater the control. This applies equally to private and public sectors. It is a fallacy to imagine that the private sector offers a great degree of independence. The top positions in the private sector are also subject to control or interference in some form or the other. • In addition: • No need for a Post-graduation Degree • There are a lot of Vacancies: around 1,000 every year • Only Total marks count – No minimum marks for any paper or the Personality Test

7. • Civil Services Examination is conducted for recruitment of candidates for 24 different Services for a certain number of vacancies - about 1000 vacancies every year. • Application forms are released at the end of May and to be filled till the end of June. 1. Age Criteria • The upper age limit will be • 37 years for SC/ST candidates with unlimited number of attempts • 35 years for OBC with 9 attempts • 32 for the unreserved (general) category with 6 attempts.

8. 2. Academic Criteria • The candidate must hold a degree of any of Universities incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India. • Candidates who have passed the final year of MBBS or any Medical Examination but are yet to complete the internship can also appear for the Main Examination.

9. A few pointers for success in the civil service examinations: • Very strong foundation of language. Quality of spoken and written language, primarily English • Analytical skills • Perseverence • Balance in your views and opinions • Very comprehensive reading • Positive attitude and smiling countenance

10. Indian Civil Services Exam • 1. Preliminary Examination • 2. Main Examination • 3. Personality Test (Interview)

11. Preliminary Examination • The Examination shall comprise two compulsory papers of 200 marks each. • It is also known as Civil Service Aptitude Test (CSAT) • The questions will be of multiple choice, objective type. Preliminary Examination CSAT Paper - 1 (GS) (200 marks) Duration: Two hours • Current events of national and international importance. • History of India and Indian National Movement. • Indian and World Geography - Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and theWorld. • Indian Polity and Governance - Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc. • Economic and Social Development -Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector initiatives, etc. • General issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization • General Science.

12. Preliminary Examination CSAT Paper-2 (APTITUDE) (200 marks) Duration: Two hours • Comprehension • Interpersonal skills including communication skills; • Logical reasoning and analytical ability • Decision-making and problem solving • General mental ability • Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. - Class X level) • English Language Comprehension skills (Class X level).

13. Main Examination • The written examination will consist of the following Papers. • Qualifying Papers: • Paper‐ A - 300 Marks (One of the Indian Language to be selected by the candidate from the Languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution). • Paper‐ B- English:- 300 Marks • Papers to be counted for merit • Paper‐I Essay - 250 Marks • Paper‐II General Studies–I -250Marks (Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography otherworld and Society) • Paper‐III General Studies –II -250 Marks (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations) • Paper‐IV General Studies –III -250 Marks (Technology, Economic Development, Bio‐diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management) • Paper‐V General Studies –IV -250Marks (Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude) • Paper‐VI Optional Subject – Paper 1 -250Marks • Paper‐VII Optional Subject – Paper -2 -250 Marks

14. List of optional subjects for Main Examination

15. Personality Test • Interview is the final part of Civil Services Examination process. • IAS Interview is not a test of knowledge which has already been tested through a rigorous written examination. It is a test of the candidates’ inner self and self-belief. • The candidates are not expected to be extra-ordinary in IAS Interview. • The candidates are expected to be as much realistic as possible while answering. • Some of the qualities which are judged by the board members include common sense, mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgment, variety and depth of interest, ability for social cohesion and leadership, intellectual and moral integrity, practical wisdom, and decision making ability. Maximum Marks • Written test - 1750 Marks • Personality Test - 275 Marks • Grand Total - 2025 Marks

16. Why you should start early- • Build up your General Knowledge • Build up your English • For those from Engineering stream, you need to prepare an additional subject • Test of reasoning – the more the preparation, the better you are What you should do right now: • NCERT Books • General Studies • English • Optional subject – Syllabus and old Question Papers. • Websites • Is joining a coaching institute required?

17. Be thorough with the UPSC syllabus. Go through the previous year UPSCCSE question papers. This should give you the right direction. • Choose your Bachelor's degree in such a manner that you may benefit for the IAS exam. Follow the news regularly: The Hindu / The Times of India. Give importance to editorials and op-ed articles. And regarding magazines, Economic and Political Weekly is a good magazine for getting current perspectives. For understanding, Government schemes and initiatives and subscribe Yojana and Kurukshetra. • Give your opinion discuss the news daily • Start giving IQ tests and getting to know about logical reasoning. • Take up online test series for regular practice • Subscribe to a magazine and read articles with understanding

18. Thank You!